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Ecocentric Blog ]

Kai Olson-Sawyer

Kai Olson-Sawyer works on the food-water-energy nexus, water footprinting and surface and groundwater resource protection and management. Kai produces and writes reports, and creates multimedia content and is a regular contributor to GRACE's Ecocentric blog. His work has been published in Huffington Post, Civil Eats, Grist, EcoWatch and AlterNet. Prior to GRACE, Kai was a Programs Assistant and Assistant Editor at the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon and was a Researcher with NYC Apollo Alliance. Kai received an MA in Sociology with an environmental focus from The New School for Social Research, and a BA in English from Earlham College. He holds the Water Footprint Network's "Certificate of the Global Water Footprint Standard." His body is composed of 60 percent water.

Swimmable Water Weekend is a laudable Waterkeeper Alliance initiative that seeks to get people out to their favorite swimming hole, lake or beach and take the plunge for clean water. Don't miss out on their photo contest with an exciting prize package (including a GoPro camera)!

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for teams, leagues and athletes. They all care about doing the right thing for their business, their community and the environment - and the Green Sports Alliance provides a showcase for their efforts.

Arjen Hoekstra not only created the concept of water footprint, but he opened people's eyes about how humanity uses water. Find out what guided Hoekstra onto this visionary path, the role that consumer decisions have on water use, the complexities of industrial versus pasture-raised meat, and more.

California's snowcapped mountains aren't merely a beautiful backdrop, but also a high-elevation water storage system. Snowpack is so important because in a normal year, California gets about 30 percent of its water from snowpack runoff. And this year, there is almost none. Is this the harbinger of a new era?

It's Super Bowl time again, sports fans! This year, we have a new goal: make our Super Bowl parties the greenest they've ever been. Here are a few ideas to mull as the big day approaches - whether you're a diehard Seattle Seahawks OR New England Patriots fan.

Here's a common question: "Does pasture-raised beef have a low water footprint compared to industrial beef?" The answer: All beef has a high water footprint, but the sustainability of pasture-raised makes it a better choice.

Imagine the devastation if California agriculture was solely dependent on rainfall with no access to irrigation. Just because rain falls from the sky (or doesn't), it shouldn't be excluded from water footprints.

It's World Water Week and we're happy to report that this year's theme is "Water and Energy." Have a look at our curated list of recent posts that help to illustrate just a few examples of how water and energy are connected, and what that means for all of us.

The toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie that forced Toledo, Ohio authorities to cut drinking water to 400,000 people has subsided, but a major cause of pollution - agricultural runoff - has not. The USDA has taken note and is providing funding and technical support to help farmers reduce pollution.

Pop quiz: Why does your iced coffee habit cost so much more this hot summer? Turns out that there's a whole lot of stuff (and effort) that goes into making that cold cup of joe. Read on for the reasons behind those jacked up prices.

While hanging out in the yard can be carefree summer fun, saving water is serious business, especially as a devastating drought continues in the southwest US. But with these tips, conserving water doesn't have to be a drag.

What happens to the residents in southwestern Pennsylvania's biggest coalfields when fracking comes to town? Ask Patrick Grenter and Veronica Coptis of the Center for Coalfield Justice to find out about their fight for local communities against the problems caused by the fossil industry.

The 2014 World Cup has been a great success as the finals draw near. Although knocked out earlier, the United States has few if any peers in the World Cup of large "environmental footprints." The problem is, winning that Cup is no triumph.